It
is not the enemy. I think all experts, all scientists, all researchers
would agree that fat is an important component of healthy diet.
However, when it comes to fat, there are varying opinions. There are
multiple health benefits from consuming fat especially essential fatty
acids. Fat is required for hormones to be manufactured. Without fat,
your hormones get out of whack. This includes the regulation of women's
hormonal cycles including menopause. Men require fat for hormonal
activity for high energy sex and good muscle mass. Fats are required
for proper insulin function. Fat is necessary for red blood cell
formation. Fats lubricate your joints. Essential fatty acids regulate
the transport of oxygen and energy through your body. Essential fatty
acids are essential for the formation of cells particularly in the
nervous system. Essential fatty acids increase your body's metabolic
rate.

There are several types of fat which may also lead
to some of the confusion about fat. The following is the good, the bad,
and the ugly about fat. Fats are the most highly concentrated form of
energy or fuel for a body. They contain more calories per ounce than
either proteins or carbohydrate. Fats come in three basic forms:
saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated; and today, we have
identified the fourth fat. These fats are called trans fats and they
definitely are the bad fats.

The chemical structure of the fat is what
determines its degree of saturation. Most foods contain a mixture of
the three basic types of fat. However, one fat usually predominates.

Saturated fats: Saturated fats come from animal
products including milk and milk products and from several sources of
vegetables. Basically, saturated fats are useful only as sources of
energy.

Polyunsaturated fats: Polyunsaturated fats are
found in seeds, seed oils, and vegetable oils as well as many types of
fish especially fish that live in cold water. The following are common
sources of polyunsaturated: corn oil, safflower oil, flaxseed oil,
mackerel, cod, tuna, corn, sardines, herring, and of course salmon.

Monounsaturated fats: Monounsaturated fats are
found in certain vegetable oils and nut oils which are best when
processed. The following are common sources of monounsaturated fats:
Olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and safflower oil. Last but not
least, the trans fats. The trans fats are man-made fats created by
transforming unsaturated fats into saturated fats through heat and
hydrogenation. Hydrogenation turns liquid vegetable oils into solids
such as margarine and shortening. The food industry likes trans fats
because they extend the self life of their products. However, recent
studies have shown, trans fats may cause serious harm including
increased insulin production, decreased testosterone, low metabolism,
and higher bad cholesterol. Trans fats are found in commercially
available baked goods such as crackers, chips, cookies, pies, and
doughnuts. Trans fats are loaded in processed foods and are very, very
high in the glycemic index of carbohydrate rating and of course this
causes a spike in insulin levels and of course resulting in extra fat
storage. To identify a trans fats, now look for the following phrases
on the labels, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated -- need to stay
away from these.

In summary, dietary fat is essential for you well
being and attaining your ideal size. You can eat up to 30% of your
calories every day as fat; less may be even better. Focus on consuming
10% of your daily caloric intake as an essential fatty acid. One cause
of high cholesterol is eating too many high glycemic starches, the same
foods that cause our body to store fat. Replace the low fat processed
food in your kitchen with the real counterparts. Eating the right
dietary fats enables your body to release fat.

If you are experiencing any signs of deficiency or
any symptoms, I would recommend contacting your physician.

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